Home Is Where the Heart Is
by YoursAlways
Summary: A new city. A new house. A new family. And still, starting his first year of college in an entirely new environment wasn't throwing Ushijima off nearly as much as the new feelings that were bubbling up for a certain priestess he was living with.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Haikyuu! and make no money from these writings.

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Home Is Where the Heart Is

Chapter One

The train ride from Miyagi to Tokyo, even at two and a half hours, hadn't felt nearly as long as the drive from the train station to Ushijima's new home, only a few minutes from the station by car. Of course, he hadn't been stuck in a train car with the father he hadn't seen in years.

Ushijima was in Tokyo to be in the best place for the next stage of his life. An offer to join Tokyo University's men's volleyball team wasn't something he could turn down. With the athletic department helping to pay a portion of his tuition, he would be able to work on getting a degree while gaining more experience in a higher field of volleyball before he joined the national team. He hadn't been officially offered a spot on the team yet, but as a previous junior representative, he was confident that it was only a matter of time and his experience.

But even with moving to a new city - and a large one, at that - and attending a prestigious school where he would have to juggle his classes and volleyball practice, none of that made him as tense as the thought of where he'd be living through it all. He briefly thought back to his mother as she saw him off at the train station in Sendai. She'd told him how proud she was of him and how much she loved him, and after making him promise to call as soon as he was settled in his new home, she gave him a tight hug and a kiss on each cheek. He hadn't really understood at the time why she started crying, and she'd waved him off with a smile when he asked. Maybe she had known that this move would be difficult for him in a personal sense.

He'd still been young when his parents divorced. It hadn't been messy or angry, at least not in any way that he could remember. From what he'd been told when he got older, they'd just become different people and grown apart. It had apparently just been agreed that it would be better for all of them if they split up instead trying to make the marriage work when they didn't love each other in the same way anymore. That was probably the reason his mother hadn't had any big objections when his father had called one evening with a proposal.

That was more or less what his father's role had been reduced to in his life. Takashi wasn't originally from Miyagi and had left after the divorce because he'd been offered a transfer for his job. After that, Ushijima would receive phone calls when he reached an achievement in school or volleyball. Takashi would usually visit him on his birthday and on holidays, but those visits became fewer and fewer once his job started taking him overseas for stretches of time. Then, one day when Ushijima was sixteen, Takashi had shown up saying that they needed to talk. His parents had already spoken before he'd gotten home that day, and his mother encouraged him to have a private talk with his father and left them alone.

His father had remarried. Takashi said that he would have liked for Ushijima to have been there, but it hadn't been a large ceremony by any means. It was both of their second marriages, he being a divorcee and she being a widow, and it had been in Tokyo which was a long trip for a teenager to make for something as small as the civil ceremony they'd held. Takashi explained that he'd moved in with his new wife and her family since his work still took him overseas sometimes and he didn't think it was fair to make them leave the home they knew to be in a new home he would only live in part of the time anyway. He also explained that he had two step-siblings; a step-sister who was his age and a step-brother who was six years younger.

At the time, Ushijima had accepted it without much real thought. His father was remarried with a new family. He wasn't going to divorce this woman that he likely loved just because Ushijima had an objection. And why would he object? He didn't know these people. It had little to no bearing on his life. Besides, with more family tying him to Japan, maybe his father would be in the country more and be able to attend more of his matches. Well, he'd been partially correct. His father was in the country more from what he understood. But he spent most of his time in Tokyo. He still called to congratulate him on achievements and birthdays, but he wasn't able to work his schedule around Ushijima's tournament matches.

Was part of Ushijima a tiny bit bitter? Yes. Here was _his_ father making more of a life with his new family instead of with his own son. He realized that there were other factors like time and distance, but it still stung at a small part of him. What did this new family have that he didn't?

Well, he was going to find out firsthand very soon. The proposal Takashi had called his ex-wife with involved Ushijima and his move to Tokyo. Instead of making him live in student housing or spending the extra money on an apartment, Ushijima could live with his father, step-mother, and step-siblings. The family - specifically the family of his step-mother's late husband - ran a Shinto shrine in Shinjuku and had room in their home to accommodate him while he was going to school. His father also stressed that he really wanted to use the opportunity to get to better know his son again and let his son get to know the extended family he'd yet to meet.

There had really been no reason for him to turn down his father's offer, and it would ease some of his mother's financial burden. When his mother had first discussed it with him, Ushijima had agreed without much, if any, pushing.

Of course, that was all before he'd actually met his father at the train station in Tokyo. Their reunion hug had been awkward at best. Ushijima was now taller than his father, something that had changed from the last time they'd actually seen each other, and their hug had been much more stiff than the hug his mother had given him before he left Miyagi. But Takashi had pressed forward, apparently determined to make things work. He'd taken two of Ushijima's three bags and led him out to the street where he got the two of them a cab.

"I think you'll like it here, Wakatoshi," Takashi finally told him after several tense and quiet minutes in the car together. "It's different from Miyagi - bigger, busier, more people - but there's so much to do and see. And of course you'll have school and the volleyball club."

Ushijima nodded as he stared out the window, looking at the fronts of the buildings they were passing. He was listening. He just really didn't have much to say in response at the moment.

Takashi cleared his throat before he started speaking again in a voice laced with a nervous tension that hadn't been there a moment ago. "You...you still _like_ volleyball, right?" He asked. "You don't just play it because I pushed you into it when you were a kid, do you? Because if there was something else you wanted to do, another sport you wanted to play, I wouldn't be upset."

This actually caused Ushijima to turn his full attention to his father. What? Was that a serious question? Of course he enjoyed volleyball. He certainly wouldn't have dedicated as much time and effort to it as he had over the years if he didn't like it. Sure, he was _good_ at it and had the build and natural talent for it, but he wouldn't have stuck with something for so long if it made him unhappy, father's approval or not. Even if most people seemed to think that he was a simple person, and maybe he was, he still had his own thoughts and interests and goals. They just happened to include the sport his father had introduced him to as a child and seeing how far he could take himself in that world. But during the time Ushijima had been trying to process his surprise at his father's question, Takashi started talking again.

"That's something I've worried about for years," Takashi laughed while rubbing the back of his head in what was likely a nervous habit. "I've always wondered if you enjoyed playing volleyball or if you were just doing it to make me happy. Ever since you were a baby, you haven't been much for smiling, so it can be hard to tell when you're happy or upset sometimes. I just-"

"I enjoy volleyball," Ushijima interrupted.

Takashi closed his mouth and blinked at his son before grinning in relief. "Is that so? Well, that's good to hear, Wakatoshi."

"I started playing because you wanted to share it with me, but I still play because it's what I want to do," he explained a little more at length.

"That's great!" Takashi laughed, obviously more relaxed now that one of his anxieties had been cleared up. "You know, since you're so accomplished, maybe you could give your step-brother, Souta, a few pointers." When Ushijima's brow creased, Takashi explained, "He used to really like soccer, but he's started getting more and more into volleyball. He even joined his middle school's club last year. I guess I have a habit of spreading my enthusiasm for it."

Ushijima was about to say something along the lines of not really knowing how to practice with children when their cab came to a stop and the driver told them that they'd reached their destination.

Once the two of them were out of the cab with Ushijima's bags and the fare was paid, Ushijima found himself staring at an impressive set of stairs.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Takashi reassured him with a smile and a pat on the back before he started up the first few steps. "And you get used to them!"

It wasn't that he couldn't handle what really amounted to only a tiny amount of cardio in comparison to his usual workouts. He was staring at the tall staircase more in wonder that the general public climbed them to visit a shrine. Though he kept that to himself. It wouldn't matter to him either way how other people handled the stairs. To him, they would make a good warm-up and cool-down for his runs.

The top of the stairs opened up to a wide area that looked pretty typical of a shrine. Smooth cement covered the ground while paving stones laid out more specific walkways. The main shrine was visible from the top of the stairs, but what caught Ushijima's attention first was a large tree. It was much larger than any of the other trees that surrounded the shrine grounds, so it was likely much older. As he walked closer to get a better look, he saw that there was a small fence around the base of the tree. He was just wondering what could have caused such a large scar in the bark when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Takashi asked. "This tree is probably my favorite place on the grounds. There's just something calming about it." When Ushijima nodded in agreement, Takashi grinned and patted his son's shoulder. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to look around later. Let's get inside. Dinner should be ready soon."

Ushijima followed his father across the shrine grounds and through a small gate that lead to a grassy yard with a narrow stone walkway that lead to a house. There were a few trees - though they weren't nearly as large as the tree on the actual shrine grounds - and some shrubs, and it was obvious that this area was meant to be separate from the actual shrine. This was a place just for family.

"We're back!" Takashi called out as they entered the house and closed the door behind them.

Ushijima slipped off his shoes while still in the entryway and took the slippers his father offered to him. They were his size and obviously new, just for him. His stomach felt tight at the thought of meeting these new people, the family his father had spent most of the last few years with. But as he inhaled in an effort to relax, he caught a very familiar scent that helped take some of the edge off. He would swear he could smell hayashi rice.

No sooner had the thought occurred to him than a small woman came into view, dusting her dusting her hands off on her apron. "Welcome home," she smiled at them before zeroing her attention in on Ushijima. "And you must be Wakatoshi. I've heard so much about you! I'm so happy we're finally getting to meet." She was then interrupted by a beeping from what Ushijima assumed was the kitchen, and she took a couple of steps back. "Oh! Excuse me. I'm just finishing up dinner, so it'll be ready by the time you get your things settled in your room."

Ushijima offered a "Nice to meet you," and watched as she smiled with a small wave before making her way back into the kitchen.

"Her name is Risa, by the way," Takashi offered with a soft laugh. "I think she's just excited to have you here. Come on, I'll show you where your room is."

Following his father through the house, they passed by the door to a more formal dining room where the table had already been set with plates and then through a living room area before finally reaching a set of stairs to the second floor.

"Your room, along with Kagome and Souta's rooms, is on the second floor," Takashi explained as they started up the steps. "My and Risa's room, along with Grandpa Higurashi's, is on the first floor." As they reached the top landing, he continued by pointing to a door at the immediate left, "That's Kagome's room." They continued down the hall with Takashi pointing out each door as they passed them, "That's the bathroom that the three of you will share, that's Souta's room, and this is your room."

Takashi opened the door on the opposite end of the hall from the one he'd pointed out as his step-sister's room. It was a decent sized room, mostly barren except for his dresser, full-size bed, and the boxes of his things that had already been shipped to his new house. He could work on unpacking his things later that evening. Maybe then it would actually feel like _his_ room instead of something borrowed.

"This actually used to be Risa's sewing room," Takashi explained as he set down the two bags he'd been carrying. "She and Kagome have been working on cleaning it out and getting everything ready for you." He smiled when Ushijima looked at him in question. "I'm not the only one who's excited for you to be here."

As if on cue, loud thuds were heard rushing down the hall until a boy appeared in the doorway, hands braced on either side and smiling brightly. "He's here?" He asked excitedly and slightly out of breath before his eyes finally landed on Ushijima. He stared for a moment before finally breathing out, "Wow...tall."

"Souta, this is my son Ushijima Wakatoshi," Takashi introduced. "Wakatoshi, this is Risa's son, Higurashi Souta."

"Were you really a national junior representative?" Souta blurted out as he took a step into the room.

"Yes," Ushijima answered without hesitation.

"That's so cool," Souta grinned. "I just started playing volleyball last year. Think you might want to practice with me sometime?"

"No." His answer was honest, but when he saw Souta's face fall, he felt the need to clarify his reasons. "I'm not good at holding back when I practice. You might get hurt."

Souta's face lit up again before he asked, "In that case, will you show me some of your moves?"

Ushijima nodded and watched as Souta cheered. After meeting his step-mother and step-brother, he was beginning to wonder if being this open and friendly with people they'd just met was a family trait.

"Souta!" They heard Risa call up the stairs. "Did you actually tell them that dinner was ready yet?"

"Oh yeah," Souta mumbled before he turned back to look at the other two. "Dinner's ready!"

"Okay," Takashi laughed. "Let's go. Wakatoshi, you can unpack after you eat something, yeah?"

Nodding, Ushijima followed after his father and Souta as they made their way back down the hall. They were just reaching the stairs when they heard the soft sound of quick footsteps. All three paused when a young woman reached the top step and immediately reached for the nearby door handle.

"Kagome," Takashi called out in a slightly louder tone than he'd been using in the house.

Kagome startled and turned to face the small group behind her before pulling the earbuds out of her ears and smiling. "Oh, hi!" She exhaled as she continued to dab at her face and neck with a small towel. "Sorry, I didn't see you guys there. I was just on my way to get changed before dinner."

"Did you have a nice run?" Takashi asked with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, I did," Kagome nodded. "It's finally warming up so that it isn't freezing on my runs, but it's not hot yet either." Pausing to look over Takashi's shoulder, Kagome stood up a little straighter and smiled a little brighter as she stepped closer. "Oh! Are you Wakatoshi?" She asked. "Do you mind if I call you that?"

"Yes, Kagome," Takashi confirmed to answer her first question. "This is my son. Wakatoshi, this is Kagome. You'll actually be starting together at the same school in a couple of weeks. Kagome was recruited by the track and field team."

Extending her right hand and not hesitating to look directly at him, even if she had to look up, Kagome said, "It's nice to meet you."

Ushijima was careful in taking her hand. He didn't really have that much experience in dealing with girls. He'd been popular enough in high school as the volleyball team's ace, but most people, especially girls, apparently found him intimidating and didn't go out of their way to talk to him. So he was surprised by how firmly Kagome gripped his hand. It wasn't that she was squeezing his hand all that hard. He was pretty sure her hand was too small compared to his to get that much of a grip. But is was a steady and confident pressure that, combined with the open way she spoke to and looked at him, spoke enough about her personality.

Yes. This was definitely a shared trait among the Higurashi family.

"It's nice to meet you too," Ushijima finally told her.

"So what would you prefer I call you?" Kagome asked again as she retracted her hand.

"Either my family or given name," he answered. "It doesn't matter to me."

"Wakatoshi it is, then," Kagome smiled up at him.

"I'm not joking," Risa called up the stairs for the second time. "Dinner is going to get cold if you don't come down here soon!"

"Oops," Takashi smiled at the other three. "We should probably hurry. Kagome, we'll see you downstairs."

Nodding, she said, "I'll be down in a few minutes once I change out of my running clothes."

And true to her word, the family was just settling around the dining room table after Ushijima had met Grandpa Higurashi when Kagome lightly jogged into the room and joined them at the table. Taking the seat across from Ushijima, Kagome smiled and waved at him again as Risa began to dish out rice for everyone. Part of Ushijima was happy to see that he had been correct earlier. Risa had been cooking hayashi rice.

"I heard that this was your favorite food," Risa told him as she set his plate in front of him. "I thought it would be a nice way to welcome you to our home."

"Thank you," Ushijima said sincerely as he picked up his spoon.

"Why are we eating in here?" Souta asked his sister quietly. "We never eat in here."

"Mama's trying to make a good impression," Kagome giggled before she started eating.

Pointing at both of her children, Risa tried not to smile as she said, "Hush, both of you. It's nice to eat in here every now and then."

Ushijima listened as dinner continued with talk of everyone's day and a level of bickering and teasing he'd never really known growing up. He was an only child from a single-parent household. He'd never really considered his teammates his siblings - friends, at best - but the dinner sort of reminded him of they way his old team acted with each other; close, comfortable, and friendly. But then, he'd been more comfortable with his teammates than he was here at this family's dinner table. He wondered if he would ever be able to reach that level of comfort in this house. He certainly didn't like feeling like such an outsider.

Once the meal was finished and everyone thanked Risa for a delicious meal, Ushijima headed back upstairs to his room to start unpacking. He wasn't sure how long it had been - long enough for him to get his clothes put away and his sheets on his bed - when Kagome appeared in his doorway, knocking gently on his door.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted any help with all of this," she offered when he looked up at her from his position in the floor where he was unpacking another box.

"No, thank you," he declined.

Nodding once, Kagome told him, "Fair enough. I can understand wanting to do it yourself. If you change your mind, I'm right down the hall." She departed with a small wave, allowing Ushijima to continue his unpacking.

It wasn't until later in the evening, on his way to the bathroom, that Ushijima overheard a conversation in Kagome's room. With her door cracked open, the voices filtered out into the hallway.

"So what do you think about him so far?" Souta asked.

Someone was moving around in the room as Kagome laughed and answered, "I don't know, Souta. We just met him today, and I haven't had the chance to have an actual conversation with him."

"I think he's really cool," Souta opined. "He so tall! And he's supposed to be really good at volleyball too."

"But?" Kagome prodded.

"But I don't know if he likes me," Souta admitted. "He didn't seem as excited to meet me as I was to meet him. I don't think I've seen him smile since he got here."

Kagome sighed. "I'm sure it's not you, Souta," she tried to console. "Some people just don't smile as much as we do, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's just how they are. Besides, think about it, he just moved away from the only place he's ever lived and into a house full of people he doesn't know. Well, except for Takashi, but from what I understand, they didn't see each other all that much while he was growing up." Pausing for a minute, she continued in a softer voice, "It's really hard to suddenly be in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. Give him a little time to get settled and used to everything. Once he warms up to us, I'm sure things will get easier."

It was at that point that Ushijima realized he'd been eavesdropping and decided it would be best to continue on his way to the bathroom. Once he was back in his room, he laid back on his bed and thought about what the Higurashi siblings had said. Apparently, at least one of them was as uncertain about him as he was of them. But the other, Kagome, seemed to understand his situation. He was a little out of his depth with what was happening, but it wasn't anything that he wasn't sure he couldn't handle. It would just take time. It seemed like his father and step-mother, though meaning well, were trying to get him to fit into their family without giving him time to acclimate. He wasn't part of this family. He couldn't suddenly act like he was. But now he knew that there was at least one person in the house who was going to give him his time and space. That, in itself, was a relief.

Suddenly remembering that he'd yet to call his mother, Ushijima picked up his phone from where it was charging on his nightstand and pressed redial for the last person he'd talked to. "Hello, Mom," he greeted with a small smile when she picked up after the second ring. It was good to hear her voice, something familiar and comforting. "I'm fine. I managed to get most of my boxes unpacked earlier." He listed to her talk for a few minutes, questions and concerns about whether or not he was happy and doing well. "Things are uncomfortable right now," he admitted. "But the people here are doing their best to make me feel welcome." After promising his mother that he was at least content with where he was and that he would call if there were any problems, Ushijima ended the call and stared up at the ceiling.

He would be fine in the Higurashi house. It would just be a matter of time and finding his new place in this family.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Haikyuu! and make no money from these writings.

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Home Is Where the Heart Is

Chapter Two

When Kagome's phone alarm went off, it was still dark outside. After a few minutes of lying in the quiet of her room, she was able to roll out of bed with only a small amount of groaning and questioning of why she did this to herself every morning. Rummaging through her dresser until she had a handful of clothes, she opened her bedroom door and cringed at the squeak in the hinges that she _still_ hadn't fixed and wondered if it was really as loud and noticeable as it seemed in the early morning hours.

After padding her way down the hall to the bathroom, she brushed her hair and pulled it up into a ponytail before getting dressed in her running gear. Paranoia that she was certainly being loud enough to wake up the entire house prompted Kagome to peek out into the hallway before quickly slipping back into her room to grab her running shoes, phone, armband that held her phone, and earbuds.

Footsteps muffled by her socks lead her into the kitchen where she grabbed a bottle of water to drink before she set about making a small pre-run snack; a couple of pieces of toast and a banana. She was about halfway through her first piece of toast when a deep voice said from behind her, "Good morning."

If it weren't for the mouthful of toast that muffled her startled scream, Kagome may very well have woken the rest of the house. Taking a few moments to bend over the kitchen counter and cough up the bits of toast she'd managed to inhale, Kagome finally got her breath back and turned to face the person who'd nearly given her a heart attack. "Good morning," she smiled a little tensely at Ushijima. Giving him and his track suit a quick once over, she managed to make her smile a little more genuine as she asked, "Going for a morning run?"

"It's what I usually do," Ushijima answered. "I want to keep my routine while I'm in Tokyo."

"Want something to eat before you go?" When he nodded in both answer and thanks, Kagome went about putting another couple of pieces of toast in the toaster. Picking up her unfinished piece of toast, she turned back to Ushijima. "So do you already have a route planned out for your run?" It would be impressive given that he'd just moved to the city, but not impossible if he'd looked up a map online.

"No," Ushijima shook his head. "I'll take today a little slower than my usual pace to find the best route for my runs."

Kagome grabbed another bottle of water before handing it to the much taller boy. "Well, you can come with me on my run, if you want," she offered with a smile. Her smile faltered, however, when Ushijima seemed to make a face at her offer. It was barely there - the tightening of his mouth, a small crease in his forehead - but she noticed it. Really, she doubted he even realized he did it. "Is that a no?"

"Most people can't keep up with me," he finally told her bluntly.

Kagome snorted as she walked back to the toaster to pull Ushijima's golden brown toast onto a small plate and hand it to him along with a banana. "Okay," she started as she sat at the kitchen table with her remaining food and watched Ushijima follow her example. "One, I think you just insulted my pride and honor as a runner," she laughed. "Two, you were planning to take today slow anyway, weren't you? You can just see where I run, since it's a pretty simple route that's easy to remember, and then do your own thing after today. And three, don't flatter yourself, Wakatoshi. I'm sure you're fast, but there's a reason Toudai offered me a spot on their track and field team."

Ushijima watched Kagome as they both ate. He was going to apologize in case he'd offended her, but from the smile she was giving him, he had the feeling that she was teasing him more than anything. While she seemed relaxed around him - which was much more than he got from most people he'd just met - he still wasn't sure how to act around her. He was very aware that he had the tendency to offend and upset others by speaking his mind, but he didn't want to get a bad start with the people he'd be living with. He'd gotten used to his teammates brushing off his sometimes brutal honesty, knowing that he usually didn't mean any offense. But now that he was around people who didn't know him, he felt the need to be a little more careful in what he said. It all made him very tense, so he'd been looking forward to his run as a stress release.

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to," Kagome finally spoke again as she finished her banana. When Ushijima looked at her in question, she smiled, "You hadn't actually answered me yet about whether or not you wanted to join me or go your own way. I didn't want you to feel like you _had_ to say yes. It was just an offer, so I understand if you want to go your own way."

Feeling some of the tension ease out of his back and shoulders, Ushijima realized that even though he didn't feel obligated to join Kagome, part of him still wanted to. Part of it was due to the fact that she knew the city better than he did, but it was also because she was the person he felt most comfortable around so far. They'd probably had the least interaction, but that was because she wasn't going out of her way to get to know him. She wasn't pushing, but just letting their interactions come naturally.

"I'll follow you," he finally answered. "I can go back to my usual pace tomorrow." He watched as Kagome nearly spat out the water she'd been drinking before she swallowed and started to laugh.

"How gracious of you," she giggled while shaking her head and replacing her bottle's cap. Once Ushijima had finished his banana, Kagome stood, stretched her back, and put their plates by the sink. "Ready to go warm up?" She asked with a smile.

Ushijima stood and followed Kagome to the entryway by the kitchen where they both slipped on their shoes before heading outside. He was prepared to follow her lead, but he had to stop and watch as the first thing she did was give a long exhale from her mouth to watch the wispy steam of her breath.

"It's still pretty cold out in the mornings," she said as she bounced on her toes a few times. "Come on," she waved for him to follow her as she started walking across the yard to the nearest gate to the actual shrine grounds. It was still mostly dark out with just the gray haze of morning light creeping up from the horizon. The dim light, cold and foggy air, and lack of people made the shrine seem both peaceful and a little creepy.

Kagome stopped in front of the large tree he'd stopped to look at the previous day and fell into a routine of basic stretches, so Ushijima followed suit with his own warm-up.

"So," she started as she lifted one foot behind her to catch her ankle and balance on one foot for a few seconds. "I usually use the steps as a warm-up," she said as she released her ankle and repeated the stretch with the other leg. "Up and down, five times total. Walk down them at an easy pace the first time, come back up a little faster, back down at a slow jog, and just repeat two more times getting a little faster with each go. By the time we hit the bottom on the fifth pass, we'll be at a run and can get right into my usual course. When we get back, it's the same thing but in reverse for a cool-down. Does that sound okay to you?"

Ushijima nodded and followed Kagome when she started down the shrine's stairs. As they walked down for their first pass, Kagome plugged her earbuds into the phone she'd already strapped to her upper arm and went about getting them adjusted in her ears. "I usually keep the volume pretty low," she explained, "so I can still hear any nearby traffic. If you need something or have a question while we're running, you can just ask. I'll be able to hear you." She smiled up at him and pressed a button on the side of her phone to start her music as they hit the bottom step, turned around, and started up the steps a little faster than they'd gone down them.

Kagome had been right, Ushijima thought. The stairs made a good warm-up. By the time they reached the sidewalk on their fifth pass, he felt ready to start the run in earnest.

He'd expected to need to slow his pace with Kagome by a lot considering what he was used to on his runs and just how much longer his stride was than hers, but it really wasn't that bad. She kept a good and consistent pace, he partially suspected she was keeping time to a playlist she'd made specifically for running, and it didn't feel all that different from one of his usual runs.

They stayed on the edge of the sidewalk for a few streets, jogging in place as they waited for a couple of crosswalks, before they finally got to a path along a river. It was still early in the morning and there weren't many people out yet, but there were still a few that they passed by while running along the river trail who waved at Kagome and gave him odd looks. After it happened for a third time, Kagome took out one of her earbuds and turned her head to look at him as they continued to run. "I never run with anyone this early in the morning," she explained, her voice hitching a little each time her foot hit the ground. "They're probably just surprised that I have a running partner today."

Ushijima nodded, accepting the answer. But hearing it, he wondered if it also had something to do with the fact that he was a large man running with a very small woman who usually ran alone. Though he quickly let it go because the staring didn't really bother him one way or the other.

The run lasted a good while before they reached a turning point and doubled back. By the time the shrine steps came into view, the streets and sidewalk were considerably busier with the early wave of people leaving for work. Up and down the stair five times until they were walking up the last few steps to finally stop in the shrine's courtyard.

Kagome was smiling, slightly winded and taking deep even breaths, as she pulled earbuds from her ears and asked, "So what do you think of my route?"

Ushijima was looking out over the shrine, covered in long shadows and an orange glow from the morning sunrise, as he said, "It's a good run." He followed Kagome again when she nodded and started making her way back to their home. "I might use that route again," he finally spoke again. He hadn't had much time to look around the shrine when he'd arrived the day before, and now that he was finally able to look without feeling rushed, he found that he liked it. It didn't feel like they were in the middle of a large city. It felt old and traditional and reminded him just a little bit of home.

"Well, I try to make that run twice a day," Kagome said as she spun around to walk backwards and talk to him at the same time. "I like to go once in the morning and once in the evening. I always go at least once though, if I don't have time for both." She was quiet for a few awkward backwards steps before she offered, "You can come with me again tonight if you want. Or stick to whatever schedule you're used to. Whichever, I just wanted to extend the invitation." Turning back around without ever losing her smile, Kagome picked up her pace and trotted the rest of the way to the house.

Sliding open the door and bending down to untie her shoes, Kagome called out, "We're back!"

"Welcome home," Risa answered from the kitchen. "How was your run?"

"It was good," Kagome continued the conversation as she slid her feet into her slippers and moved out of the way so that Ushijima could step into the small entryway to do the same. "Wakatoshi went with me. I showed him the route I usually take."

Risa finally stepped out of the kitchen, brushing her hands off on her apron and smiling at them as she said, "That's so nice! I'm glad to see you kids getting along already."

"We're not best friends yet, Mama," Kagome laughed as she kissed her mother on the cheek in greeting. "Just showing him some of the city."

"I know," Risa waved her daughter off. "But I still think it's a good start. Help me with breakfast?"

Kagome nodded before turning back to Ushijima. "You can go ahead and use the bath if you want. I'll take one after breakfast, and Souta won't even be up until he smells food."

"Okay," Ushijima agreed easily. As he passed by the kitchen he saw Kagome and her mother moving around each other with practiced ease as they went about getting breakfast ready, and it reminded him of when he lived with his own mother. It was just the two of them for so long and he was so quiet by nature that by the time he was in high school, they rarely even needed to speak to each other to know what the other wanted or needed. But it was always a comfortable silence, something warm and happy.

As he again longed for that level of comfort in his surroundings, he felt an odd tightness in his chest. Pushing away his inner discomfort, Ushijima made his way up the stairs to the house's second floor and down the hall to his room so that he could get a clean change of clothes. The bathroom had a simple layout and it was easy to find everything that he needed, but it still wasn't _his_ bathroom. The tile was different and the shower was on the opposite side of the room. The towels were a different color and didn't smell like home. He was in _a_ home but not _his_ home. And it wasn't until he was rinsing the shampoo from his hair that Ushijima realized he was feeling the beginnings of homesickness.

It was an odd realization because he'd never really experienced it before. Even when attending Shiratorizawa and living in the dorms, he'd never felt homesick because he knew that home wasn't far. It was a few minutes by train, and he could easily visit on the weekends or even during the week after practice from time to time just to have dinner with his mother. But now his mother and home and everything familiar wasn't just right outside, it was miles and hours away. And the realization made him feel incredibly lonely for what was probably the first time in his life.

Not a passing feeling of loneliness. Everyone got lonely from time to time. Ushijima knew this. But this new feeling, loneliness mixed with isolation despite knowing he was surrounded by people, made him truly and deeply miss his old futon and his old room and his mother and the way she always smelled like the herbs she grew in her garden.

Turning the hot water almost completely off, Ushijima flinched when cold water sprayed over his head. He forced himself to stay under it for a few seconds to clear his head and dispel his more sentimental thoughts. He could accept missing his home, but he was in Tokyo now. It was difficult for the moment, but he would persevere and overcome. This was where he was supposed to be and it was where he would stay.

Ushijima quickly finished up his shower and dried off before getting dressed and making his way back downstairs. In the kitchen, he took a seat at the much smaller dining table, chairs pressed close together to fit everyone in the family. Across from him sat Souta, still trying to wake up but slowly coming around.

"Morning," the younger boy mumbled, rubbing at his eyes and trying to focus as Kagome and Risa brought food to the table.

"Good morning," Ushijima replied, voice deep enough to seemingly snap Souta into the world of the living.

"How long have you been up?" Souta asked noticing his step-brother's damp hair.

Finally taking her seat next to Ushijima, Kagome said, "He was up early enough to go running with me."

Souta made a face, clearly appalled at the very idea of getting up at such an hour. "Why do you do that to yourselves?"

Risa ruffled her son's hair as she sat down saying, "It might do you some good to get up early with them and go running. I'm sure it'll help get you prepared for when your club starts back up with the new school year."

"She's right," Takashi chimed in with a smile. "If you're going to keep playing volleyball, the cardio will help build your stamina which is something you'll need as you get older. Right, Wakatoshi?"

Ushijima nodded with an affirmative hum, quietly eating his food and listening to the conversation.

"If you don't want to go running," Grandpa Higurashi chimed in from the other end of the table, "you can always get up early and help me around the shrine. It'll be good practice for when you join the priesthood and take over this place one day."

Before Souta could argue, Kagome beat him to it as she said, "We've talked about this Gramps. Souta doesn't want to be a priest. That's why I'm going to take over the shrine one day."

"What a wonderful granddaughter you are!" Grandpa Higurashi said as he reached over to pat Kagome's arm. "I suppose Souta can still help out around here on the weekends."

Ushijima watched Kagome roll her eyes but still smiled as she cast a glance towards Souta and mouthed "I tried." Souta bit back a laugh as he took another bite.

The conversation gradually shifted towards what everyone's plans were for the day.

Eyes lighting up, Souta focused completely on his new big brother as he asked, "Can you show me some volleyball stuff today?"

"Souta!" Kagome cut it. "He _just got here_ yesterday. Give him a little time to at least finish unpacking, jeez."

"It's fine," Ushijima answered Souta's question, looking between the siblings when they both turned to stare at him.

"Really?" They asked him in unison, though in two very different tones. He nodded and watched as Souta stuck his tongue out triumphantly at his sister and Kagome wrinkle her nose and made a face right back at him. They both got a gentle reprimanding from Risa before apologizing - to their mother and the rest of the table, not to each other - and getting back to their breakfasts.

It was true that he was still pretty far from settled. Ushijima still had a few boxes to unpack and he was still settling into whatever his role in the house was, but the prospect of volleyball sounded nice. It wasn't with a team and sounded like it would be outside instead of on a court, but it would be something familiar from his past to tie to this new place. Maybe it would help him feel more at home. At the very least, he thought it might work off a little of the tension he could still feel lingering inside his chest.

When breakfast was finished, everyone split up to go their separate ways. Risa stayed in the kitchen to do the breakfast dishes as Kagome headed for the stairs to finally get her shower. Grandpa Higurashi made his way outside to get his day tending the shrine started, and Takashi helped Risa with the dishes, mostly drying and putting this away. Looking around, Ushijima noticed that Souta seemed to have simply vanished.

"Souta's probably upstairs getting his shoes," Risa mentioned over her shoulder. "Unless you want him pulling at your arm the entire way outside, I recommend beating him out there," she laughed.

Feeling out of place with nothing else to do at the moment, Ushijima decided to follow her advice and make his way outside. He slipped his running shoes back on, not wanting to get his volleyball shoes dirty, and stepped outside. Ushijima wasn't sure where they would be practicing, though he could hazard a guess that it would be to the side of the yard where two poles were set up for a net to be tied between them. Not knowing where the net was, he set into a series of practiced stretches to warm up his arms and shoulders. He still felt good from his morning run and was ready to get in a little practice. It felt like it had been forever.

Ushijima was moving through the last of his stretches when Souta came barreling out of the house, a wide smile across his face. "This is gonna be so awesome!" He shouted, making a straight shot for a small shed behind the house. He returned quickly, carrying a large plastic bin filled with several volleyballs and a folded up net laid on top.

"We have to tie the net up first," Takashi chuckled at his step-son's excitement. Turning his attention to Ushijima, he picked up the net from the bin and asked, "You take one side while I do the other?"

Ushijima nodded as he extended his hand for his side and helped his father get the net set up. Once both sides were even and securely tied, he walked to the bin and picked up a ball, only to squeeze it and toss it in the air a couple of times. It felt good, properly inflated and ready to take a beating. He didn't say anything as he walked to one side of the net and looked to Takashi.

"Why not show us your serve?" Takashi suggested, hoping it would get the ball rolling. He really wanted the kids to bond and for Ushijima to feel like he belonged in their family. His son already seemed to be building a connection with Kagome, but Takashi suspected it might be more difficult with Souta due to the age gap and Ushijima growing up an only child.

Squeezing the ball in his hands one more time, he waited for Souta to be clear from the other side of the net before tossing the ball high and following through with the powerful jump-serve that he'd practiced and developed over the years. The ball slammed into the ground, kicking up dust and dirt and causing the sound of the impact to echo off the surrounding trees. The ball bounced hard and went flying, causing Ushijima's jaw to tense when it almost collided with some potted plants near the gate.

Okay, maybe he would have to work on holding back a little bit.

"That was awesome!" Souta shouted as he ran after the ball. When he came running back up to Ushijima, his eyes were wide and shining in admiration. "There's no way anyone would be able to stop that!"

"No one is invincible," Ushijima told him, and when Souta frowned like he couldn't imagine someone being able to stop a serve like that, Ushijima remembered his game against Karasuno and the first time he could remember _not_ making it to nationals. "In my third year, a libero about the size of your sister was able to cleanly receive my spike."

Souta's eyes went the widest Ushijima had seen yet as he asked, awed, "You mean I could learn to receive spikes and serves that strong?"

Nodding, Ushijima had to admit that he liked seeing this sort of reaction to volleyball. To Souta, everything was new and there were so many moves and techniques he still didn't know and so much time to perfect and hone his own takes on them. And part of Ushijima wanted to help him reach that potential. Souta still had a lot of growing to do before he would reach Ushijima's level of training though.

"I can help you when I have time," Ushijima offered.

Souta was practically vibrating at the thought of getting tips and advice from someone ranked as one of the best rising players in the country. His teammates were going to be so jealous.

They spent the next several minutes with Ushijima critiquing Souta's stance and form while Takashi tried to rephrase his son's blunt comments to have a more positive spin. It was while Ushijima was showing Souta a position for a more reliable receive that the door to the house opened and Kagome stepped out to join them in the mid-morning light.

"They've already got you playing volleyball with them?" Kagome laughed as she walked towards them while tying her hair back with a white ribbon.

Ushijima looked up and was a little surprised to see Kagome dressed as a traditional priestess. He suddenly remembered what she said at breakfast about eventually taking over the shrine and it made a little more sense.

"Well," she continued, "I have some chores around the shrine to take care of. If you get tired of practice, come find me and I'll give you a tour of the grounds." With a small wave, Kagome was off, through a gate nearest the shrine itself, and disappearing around a corner.

"You should take her up on that," Souta said after another moment. When Ushijima looked down at him, he rushed to add, "Not right now or anything! Because I'm learning a lot! But later, you should let her show you around. Kagome knows a lot about the shrine. She has even has more stories than Gramps. Hers are more interesting too." Souta smiled, clearly proud of his big sister.

Their practice continued on for more than another hour until Souta finally called for a break, tired and in need of some water. While the younger boy made his way inside, Takashi was coming out of the house with another bottle of water for Ushijima. "Since you're taking a little break, why not go take a look around?" He suggested.

Not having any good reason not to, Ushijima accepted the water and made his way to one of the gates that lead to the shrine grounds. Again, he thought how nice it was. It was kept clean and cared for. The buildings were old but obviously well maintained. He finally caught sight of Kagome, broom in hand as she spoke with who he assumed were some visitors. Pointing this way and that, she finally gave a short bow as the visitors thanked her and waved before heading to another part of the shrine. When she turned and caught sight of him, she smiled and waved him over.

"Snuck away, huh?" She asked as she resumed her sweeping.

"We're taking a break," Ushijima explained.

Kagome laughed, "Well, if I know Souta, that won't last long, so enjoy it while you can." It was quiet between them for a stretch before she paused and looked back up at him. "Did you want to take me up on that offer to show you around?"

"If you have time," Ushijima told her, not wanting to disturb her work if she was too busy.

"Sure," Kagome smiled happily. She set her broom aside and dusted her hands off before motioning for him to follow her. They toured around the grounds, Kagome explaining some of the recorded history of the shrine; when it was built, when additions were made, which parts had been damaged or destroyed and rebuilt over the years, how long her family had been caring for it. She showed him the main shrine and pointed out the shrine's storage building. She pointed out the old well house from a distance, explaining that it was off-limits to visitors and guests and pretty much everyone. She easily answered the few questions that Ushijima asked and was honestly an excellent tour guide. It was obvious that she did this fairly often.

"And this is my favorite place," she explained as they stopped in front of the large tree that always seemed to catch Ushijima's attention.

"My father said the same thing yesterday when we got here."

"Well, to be fair, I think this is a favorite spot for a lot of people who come here," she smiled up at the old tree. "It has a very calming presence, don't you think?"

Ushijima nodded at her question. The tree was large and old and loomed over everything around it like a watchful guardian. The spring breeze rustled through the leaves and made a calming static background noise as Ushijima asked, "What happened to the bark?"

Looking between Ushijima and the scar he'd indicated, Kagome smiled, even if it was just a tiny bit sad. "Ah," she said. "The story behind that is...kind of a fairytale here at the shrine. It's not in the official history or anything, but do you still want to hear it?" When Ushijima nodded, Kagome's smile brightened just a little as she spoke, "More than five hundred years ago, there was a priestess. She was very powerful, even though she was so young, and that's why she was entrusted with safeguarding a certain jewel. The jewel was said to grant the wish of whoever owned it, any wish their heart desired. So of course there were tons of demons and power-hungry humans that were always after it, but she defeated all of them. At least until a half-demon came along."

Kagome paused for a moment, took a breath, and continued, "He wanted the jewel so that he could become fully demon. The priestess stopped him, but she didn't kill him. Time and again, she let him go no matter how many times he tried to steal the jewel. Eventually, they started talking. They got to know one another and became friends and even fell in love. But there was another demon, an incredibly evil one, that wanted the jewel. He watched them and came up with a plan to make them turn on one another. He disguised himself as each of them, met them separately, and made them think that the other had betrayed them. The priestess was injured and the half-demon was angry. He went to steal the jewel again and succeeded, but before he could get away with it, the priestess showed up and used the last of her strength to shoot him with her sacred arrow and pin him to this tree, where he would stay sealed in sleep forever. She knew that she was going to die and instructed the jewel to be burned with her body so that nobody could ever use it for evil again."

After Kagome finished her story, Ushijima thought on it for several long seconds before he finally spoke, "If he was supposed to be sealed to the tree forever, where is he now? The story has a plot hole."

Kagome's smile was a little tight as she tried her best to laugh and say, "It's just a story, Wakatoshi. A fairytale. You don't have to take it seriously."

He wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer, but he could tell that something had changed in Kagome's attitude after telling him the story. He was debating on whether or not he cared enough about the change to ask when Souta called out across the shrine for him to come show him more about volleyball.

"Go on," Kagome shooed, her usual smile making its way back onto her face. "See if you can wear him out now. If you don't, he'll try to get you to play video games with him once it gets too dark to play outside."

Ushijima accepted the advice and made his way back towards Souta as she similarly went back to her sweeping. The rest of the day passed uneventfully as Souta finally tired enough to call it a day. Ushijima went back to his room to do some more unpacking and organizing until Kagome finished her chores and asked if he wanted to join her on her evening run before dinner.

The route the took was the same as the morning, but there were considerably more people as they ran along the river, more people to wave at Kagome and give him odd looks. Dinner was similar to breakfast, happy conversation around the smaller kitchen table, and Ushijima was beginning to see how the family acted together, what their lives were really like without the hectic preparations for his arrival to throw them off.

It was nice, he thought. If he could eventually find a place here, the next several years wouldn't be so bad.

Days passed and new routines were established. Ushijima joined Kagome on her runs more often than not. He was still impressed by her stamina and ability to keep pace with him. He would practice with Souta some days, but Souta would leave to see friends on others. On those days, Ushijima would ask if there was work he could help with around the shrine. Grandpa Higurashi had instantly taken a shine to him after that. As the start of the new school year got closer, college textbooks ordered online for both Kagome and Ushijima arrived at the house and they got their new school supplies (and athletics bags) in order for their first day of classes.

Their first day came quicker than they felt it should have, but like they were getting used to, Kagome and Ushijima left the house together in the morning so that Kagome could show him the most efficient way to the campus.

Things were a little crazy when they got to the school gates, new students everywhere looking at maps and checking them against their schedules, usually before rushing off in a panic over being late. Kagome had patted him on the arm before wishing him luck on his first day and joining the fray. She was small enough that he lost her almost instantly in the crowd and he was left on his own.

He managed to navigate his first day of classes without too much trouble. He was neither shy nor hesitant about asking for help or directions to where he needed to be. And really, for him it was all leading up to the end of his day where he could make his way towards the volleyball team's gymnasium. He got changed for his first day of practice with his college team, slipping his volleyball shoes on once he was actually in the gym, and looked around.

Oddly enough, there was a sign taped to the wall instructing the team's first years to gather in that spot and wait for the captain. As he walked that way, he recognized a few faces of players already leaning against the wall or sitting in the floor or just horsing around with each other. The loud wing spiker from Tokyo's Fukurodani was there playfully shoving a tall and lanky young man that Ushijima only vaguely recognized, not sure if they'd ever actually played against one another. He was pretty sure he would have remembered hair that wild. And then, surprisingly enough, there was also Karasuno's old captain trying to get them to knock it off before they got the group in trouble. When they made eye contact, Karasuno's captain looked a little uncomfortable before he tried to wave good-naturedly.

Ushijima lifted a hand in return just as the rest of the group turned to look at him, and Ushijima realized that he recognized another face. He was surprised he hadn't earlier, even the the other man's back had been to him, because the hair should have been enough of a giveaway.

"Wakatoshi-kun!" Tendou shouted as his face lit up and he quickly jogged over to greet his friend. "We're on the same team again!"

"I thought you were going to quit volleyball after high school," Ushijima said, surprised to see Tendou anywhere near a volleyball court, much less at the same school he was attending all the way in Tokyo.

"Well, I was," Tendou sighed, rolling his head from one shoulder to the other before slinging an arm around Ushijima's shoulders and leading him back towards the rest of their peers. "But then I got offered a spot here and my mom lost it a little when I said I was probably going to turn it down. So after much yelling and many guilt trips and threats of bodily harm if I dared to stay home when this was being offered to me because of my, honestly superior, talents, I decided to keep playing for a few more years."

When they got back to the rest of the first years, Tendou made short work of introducing him to those who had already gathered. There was Fukurodani's previous ace and captain, Bokuto, and Nekoma's previous captain, Kuroo, along with their libero, Yaku, all of them Tokyo natives. Then of course Ushijima was already _well_ acquainted with Tendou, and he made a point of remembering that Karasuno's previous captain was named Daichi. About the time Tendou's introductions was finishing up, another voice was heard approaching them.

"Ah~, my new teammates. I look forward to working with all of you," the happy voice practically sang out until Ushijima turned around to look at who he already knew was behind him. At that point, all the cheer in the atmosphere dropped cold and dead as he and Oikawa stared at each other. Oikawa's face was a mix of shock, irritation, and outright disbelief before he lifted both hands in the air and proclaimed, "I quit."


End file.
